Fall of Rain
by magicmumu
Summary: Future fic. Quinn and Rachel play one last duet. CHARACTER DEATH


A Little Fall of Rain

by Erin Griffin

Fandom: Glee

Pairing: Established Faberry

Summary: Quinn sings one last song with Rachel

Diclaimer: I don't own glee. Ryan Murphy and FOX do.

Spoilers: None

AN: This is important! This is angsy (as you might know from the title of the story), and there is character death in this story. I was listening to this song, and I thought someone should do this song. And the ideas that followed weren't good. If you aren't in that head space, this isn't the fic for you. (For the rest... don't hate me too much, yeah?)

I didn't want to write this because it is so sad, but my muse is a bitch and she wouldn't leave me alone. I think she's a sadist.

Quinn stood at the window, her eyes following the nurses and the patients that walked the large circle of the park on the hospital grounds, some in wheelchairs, some in the hospital gowns, carrying their IV line with them, and some walking normally if not slowly. Quinn saw that the clouds were a light grey, and hoped it wouldn't rain on those poor people. Her fingers played nervously, worriedly with the gold band upon her finger, and she forced herself to look at her wife. Her mouth twisted as the sound raspy breathing came full force to her ears just like before. She had managed to tune it out for a moment, but something made her turn away from the window- a shift in the breathing, perhaps, that forced her away from her dreamed state of healthy people getting better, and back to the painful reality that was before her. She stood a little bit straighter, as if her intimidation technique that had gotten her through high school and most of her life past that would somehow stave off what was coming next. As if she had also felt it, there was a low raspy cough, and then, "Quinn?"

The blonde hurried to her wife, ready with another blanket, a sip of water, her favorite song- anything to both make Rachel comfortable and keep herself busy for just a few more moments. "Yes sweetie."

"It's time," she said softly. Quinn almost took a step backwards at these simple words, for they were words she hadn't expected to hear for a few days yet. Even so, she would never be prepared for the implication, for what it meant for her and their daughter, for her fathers in law who had gone to the cafeteria.

"I... Are you sure, my love?" Quinn asked.

"I feel it, Quinn. It is time." the brunette wheezed out. "It must be now."

"Of course, but you must be sure!" Quinn said, her voice cracking slightly in her panic.

"Yes." The answer came after a pause, as if Rachel had needed strength to say the syllable.

A sob caught in Quinn's throat, but she turned away from her wife and went to the small table on the other side of the room. She picked up the small boombox that somehow survived Rachel's teen years and set it down on the tray holder after she rolled it next to the bed. Then she took out a tape recorder from her purse and placed it near the boombox. She turned them both on, and a familiar tune she wished she hadn't rehearsed this past month began to play, and before she knew it, Rachel's voice was heard, as clearly and as loudly as it had for most of that week. Quinn swallowed another sob as she went to her wife and crawled as quietly into bed with her, wrapping her arms around the brunette, who placed both hands on her forarms. This was it, and they both knew it. This was the last song they would sing together. Rachel Berry knew she was dying, and she wanted to go out singing.

"Don't you fret, Monsieur Marius

I don't feel any pain

A little fall of rain

Can hardly hurt me now

you're here

That's all I need to know

And you will keep me safe

And you will keep me close

And rain will make the flowers grow"

Quinn kissed Rachel's temple, proud that her wife's voice came in so strongly. 'But why now? Why did it have to be now?' her mind wondered. Whether Quinn was wondering on the state of her wife's voice being strong at that moment, or why Rachel felt now was the time to sing this song was unknown to the blonde, but she put her mind and her heart into this. It was the most important performance of her life, she knew, and she had to make it perfect, even though the only way it could be perfect is if Rachel made a full recovery in by the end of the second chorus.

"But you will live 'Ponine

Dear God above!

If I could heal your wounds

With words of love"

Quinn felt the hands on her forarms tighten just a little bit, and she risked a look down to the brunette in her arms. She saw Rachel's eyes closed tightly, but even then, Quinn knew that her wife was scared, scared of what was happening next.

"Just hold me now and let it be

Shelter me

Comfort me"

Quinn tried to do just that, even as her eyes welled with tears. She brushed back some of Rachel's hair on her forehead and nuzzled into her. She slowly rocked them both as her part came up again.

"You would live

A hundred years

If I could show you how

I won't desert you now"

Rachel's cough brought Quinn's eyes back to her wife, but the brunette showed a familiar determination that she had seen on so many occasions. Why couldn't she use that determination to FIGHT this? Then Quinn remembered that she had. For two years, she had.

"The rain can't hurt me now

This rain will wash away what's past

And you will keep me safe

And you will keep me close

I'll sleep in your embrace at last"

Quinn felt Rachel shudder in her arms in a coughing fit, but she had seemed to recover quickly. "Rach-"

"The rain that brings you here... was heaven... blessed...

"Rachel," Quin tried again, placing a hand on the brunette's chest to rub it soothingly. There was a stillness as the music went on. Rachel had gone limp, and quinn looked down at her. Rachel's eyes were still closed, but not tightly, and quinn felt her body was now lifeless. The dam holding her tears back broke as she held Rachel closer to her, the song forgotten. "Nonononono... Baby please. Wake up and finish the song at least. Please... Rachel. Rachel please." She knew her plea fell on ears that could no longer hear her. Her sobs were loud against the still warm neck of her wife, her arm tightening around her chest as if this would anchor her soul to the body.

Quinn's head lifted when she recognized the music was coming to a close. She had to finish the song. It was what Rachel wanted, and she had to finish it. But over a minute had passed, and she had needed Rachel's voice to accompany her, but Rachel was singing somewhere else now, making angels jealous and asking for harps to back up her vocals. Quinn sat up, held rachel to her chest again and sang softly to her.

"...And I will stay with you until you're sleeping...

"And rain...

Will make the flowers..."

Quinn's throat closed as she choked out the last word, her face twisting in the agony of losing her best friend and soulmate. "Grow..."

The door opened slowly as her father often did in case rachel was sleeping, but seeing the look on Quinn's face and hearing the ending notes of the song, his eyes darted to his daughter and then to his daughter in law. His large dark frame slumped, and then he walked to the boombox. There was only silent air of a blank tape waiting to be written on, as Rachel hadn't wanted any other song. Quinn could only hope that she had done what her wife had wanted, that wherever she was, she had heard her. Rachel's father extended his large arm towards the boombox and pressed the stop button.


End file.
